Off Duty
by SunshineOwl
Summary: Married Mako and Korra fall sick in turns and have to take care of each other.


Off Duty

"Korra, where did you put the Flame-Os?" Mako called out to the apartment, sifting through the contents of the kitchen cabinets.

"They're on the top shelf!" she shouted in reply.

"No, I've already looked there, I -" his sentence was cut short by a short series of coughs.

"You okay?" Korra asked, her head poking around the corner.

"Yeah, but will you – a-choo!" The sneeze lurched Mako's body forward and his head slammed on the top of the cabinet he was searching in.

Korra snorted as she crossed her arms and leaned against the refrigerator.

"It's not funny, just help me find this spirited cereal!"

Korra's brow furrowed as Mako sneezed again. "Mako, are you sick?"

"What? Of course not, I don't get sick."

"I dunno..." she singsonged. She managed to get a hold of her husband, despite his wriggling from her touch.

"No, don't – I-"

But Korra's hand found his forehead.

"Mako, your forehead's really hot..."

"I'm a firebender, of course I -"

"No, I think you've got a cold!"

"I don't _get _colds."

"Well, you've got one now. Go to bed and rest."

"I don't need rest, I want you to find my Flame-Os."

"No, you need to sleep it off. Go on!"

Mako stuck out his lip. "If I go lie down, will you bring me my cereal?"

Korra chuckled at his adorable expression. Kissing him on the nose, she said,

"Sure."

And so Mako reluctantly slinked off to bed, spouting off a string of complaints.

"-don't need bed rest."

"Mako doesn't _get _sick."

"...just want my _cereal_, agni!"

He climbed under the covers unenthusiastically at his wife's request and lay there grumpily.

Korra entered the bedroom several moments later holding a steaming bowl.

"I made you oatmeal!" she said cheerily, proud of her accomplishment.

"I wanted cereal ..." he grumbled.

But Mako could hardly complain as Korra curled up next to him. As he ate spoonfuls of oatmeal (which wasn't _that_ bad) Korra's fingers played with his hair. Eventually, Mako's fever made the bed too warm, so Korra instructed he take off his shirt while she retrieved a wet towel to place on his forehead, claiming it was what her mom "used to do while I was sick when I was little."

They lay together under the comforter, chatting lazily until they said nothing at all and eventually dozed off.

Sun pierced the room through the windows. Mako looked to his side to see Korra nestled in his shoulder. He extracted his arm from around her and rolled out of bed.

"Hey Korra, I'm feeling a lot better," he called from the bathroom.

"That's great," Korra replied, her voice dripping in sleep.

"Yeah, sleeping it off like you said really did the trick." He returned to the bedroom and pulled on a shirt.

"I'm – cough – glad." Now her voice sounded nasally.

"Are you feeling alright? You sound funny."

"Mmm..." She pulled the covers around her body and smashed a pillow to her head.

"Korra?" Mako poked her pillow covered head.

"Leave-me-alone," she groaned between sneezes.

"Korra," Mako laughed, "I think I gave you my cold."

"Avatars don't get sick," she sniffled, her voice muffled by the covers.

"That sounds familiar," he smirked. "Now _you_ have to stay in bed while _I_ go make you oatmeal."

"I don't like oatmeal."

"Well, then what do you want?"

"Nothing. Quiet."

Mako smirked again and left only to return minutes later with a custard pie.

"Wake up, Korra!"

Korra's head peeked out of the covers as the pie's delicious scents drifted through the air.

They sat in bed, Korra propped against the headboard and Mako admiring his wife from his position on his back.

"Thanks for the pie," Korra said, cheeks bulging from her full mouth.

The firebender smiled at her satisfaction.

"Mako?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." She leaved over and planted a swift kiss on his lips.

"I love you too."

The next morning, Korra didn't find herself feeling any better. She rolled over and her lips were about to form words of request for another pie when she saw the sweat above Mako's lips and heard the soft coughs he emitted.

"Looks like we're both off duty today, City Boy," she mumbled, burrowing under the covers once more.


End file.
